Anthony Ballantoni

Looking Ahead

Looking Ahead: Daytona in 77

During the off-season, Looking Ahead gives a snapshot of where drivers finished in 2012 and what’s ahead for them in 2013. We will look at drivers who scored at least 250 points in the Cup Series and those who earned at least 200 points in the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series.

With 77 days to go until the 2013 season-opening Daytona 500, here are some driver recaps followed by a tentative list of 2013 Sprint Cup Driver/Team lineups.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS):

David Gilliland finished 30th in the standings and earned 605 points.2012: Drove the No. 38 Ford for Front Row Motorsports. In 36 starts, he led five laps, had an average start of 33.8 and an average finish of 27.3. Best NSCS start: 18 - Bristol 08/25/2012Best NSCS finish: 13 - Talladega 05/06/2012Last NSCS Win: None so far2013: No firm plans at this time.

Casey Mears finished 29th in the standings and earned 612 points.2012: Drove the No. 13 Ford for Germain Racing. In 36 starts, he led 41 laps, had an average start of 26.4 and an average finish of 27.2.Best NSCS start: 1* - Bristol 08/25/2012 Best NSCS finish: 15 - Sonoma 06/24/2012Last NSCS Win: Charlotte 05/27/2007.* Mears started the Bristol race on the pole since he was the fastest in practice, qualifying was rained out and the field was set by the order of speeds in practice. He does not get credit for a pole.2013: No firm plans at this time but Mears will likely return to the No. 13 Ford.

David Ragan finished 28th in the standings and earned 622 points.2012: Drove the No. 34 Ford for Front Row Motorsports. In 36 starts, he led 13 laps, had one top five and two top 10 finishes, and had an average start of 29.9 and a 27.0 average finish. He also drove the No. 27 Ford in two NNS races with a best finish of sixth place at Fort Worth.Best NSCS start: 14 - Atlanta 09/02/2012Best NSCS finish: 4 - Talladega 10/07/2012Last NSCS Win: Daytona 07/02/2011.2013: No firm plans at this time.

Robert Richardson Jr. finished 28th in the standings and earned 248 points.2012: Drove 16 races in the R3 Motorsports’ No. 23 Chevrolet. He led one lap, had an average start of 38.4 and a 28.6 average finish. He also drove his family-owned No. 23 Toyota in the two Sprint Cup Talladega Superspeedway races with a best finish of 27th.Best NNS starts: 34 - Daytona 02/25/2012, Talladega 05/05/2012 and Daytona 07/06/2012.Best NNS finish: 17 - Daytona 07/06/2012Last NNS Win: None so far2013: No firm plans at this time.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS):

Chris Fontaine finished 25th in the standings and earned 271 points.2012: Drove the Glenden Enterprises No. 84 Chevrolet Silverado in 15 races. He had one top ten, a 29.7 average start and a 25.9 average finish.Best NCWTS start: 12 - Talladega 10/06/2012Best NCWTS finish: 7 - Daytona 02/24/2012Last NCWTS Win: None so far2013: No firm plans in place at this time.

Max Gresham finished 24th in the standings and earned 291 points.2012: Drove Joe Denette Motorsports (JDM) No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado in eight races and five starts in the Eddie Sharp Racing No. 8 Chevrolet. In the 13 races, he had an average start of 20.3 and a 21.6 average finish. Gresham also started the season early at Daytona with a JDM entry in the ARCA race (finished sixth).Best NCWTS start: 9 - Kentucky 09/21/2012Best NCWTS finish: 11 - Martinsville 10/27/2012Last NCWTS Win: None so far2013: Gresham has signed to drive the full season in Eddie Sharp Racing’s No. 8 Chevrolet Silverado.

During the off-season, Looking Ahead gives a snapshot of where drivers finished in 2012 and what’s ahead for them in 2013. We will look at drivers who scored at least 250 points in the Cup Series and those who earned at least 200 points in the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series.

With 77 days to go until the 2013 season-opening Daytona 500, here are some driver recaps followed by a tentative list of 2013 Sprint Cup Driver/Team lineups.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS):

David Gilliland finished 30th in the standings and earned 605 points.2012: Drove the No. 38 Ford for Front Row Motorsports. In 36 starts, he led five laps, had an average start of 33.8 and an average finish of 27.3. Best NSCS start: 18 - Bristol 08/25/2012Best NSCS finish: 13 - Talladega 05/06/2012Last NSCS Win: None so far2013: No firm plans at this time.

Casey Mears finished 29th in the standings and earned 612 points.2012: Drove the No. 13 Ford for Germain Racing. In 36 starts, he led 41 laps, had an average start of 26.4 and an average finish of 27.2.Best NSCS start: 1* - Bristol 08/25/2012 Best NSCS finish: 15 - Sonoma 06/24/2012Last NSCS Win: Charlotte 05/27/2007.* Mears started the Bristol race on the pole since he was the fastest in practice, qualifying was rained out and the field was set by the order of speeds in practice. He does not get credit for a pole.2013: No firm plans at this time but Mears will likely return to the No. 13 Ford.

David Ragan finished 28th in the standings and earned 622 points.2012: Drove the No. 34 Ford for Front Row Motorsports. In 36 starts, he led 13 laps, had one top five and two top 10 finishes, and had an average start of 29.9 and a 27.0 average finish. He also drove the No. 27 Ford in two NNS races with a best finish of sixth place at Fort Worth.Best NSCS start: 14 - Atlanta 09/02/2012Best NSCS finish: 4 - Talladega 10/07/2012Last NSCS Win: Daytona 07/02/2011.2013: No firm plans at this time.

Robert Richardson Jr. finished 28th in the standings and earned 248 points.2012: Drove 16 races in the R3 Motorsports’ No. 23 Chevrolet. He led one lap, had an average start of 38.4 and a 28.6 average finish. He also drove his family-owned No. 23 Toyota in the two Sprint Cup Talladega Superspeedway races with a best finish of 27th.Best NNS starts: 34 - Daytona 02/25/2012, Talladega 05/05/2012 and Daytona 07/06/2012.Best NNS finish: 17 - Daytona 07/06/2012Last NNS Win: None so far2013: No firm plans at this time.

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS):

Chris Fontaine finished 25th in the standings and earned 271 points.2012: Drove the Glenden Enterprises No. 84 Chevrolet Silverado in 15 races. He had one top ten, a 29.7 average start and a 25.9 average finish.Best NCWTS start: 12 - Talladega 10/06/2012Best NCWTS finish: 7 - Daytona 02/24/2012Last NCWTS Win: None so far2013: No firm plans in place at this time.

Max Gresham finished 24th in the standings and earned 291 points.2012: Drove Joe Denette Motorsports (JDM) No. 24 Chevrolet Silverado in eight races and five starts in the Eddie Sharp Racing No. 8 Chevrolet. In the 13 races, he had an average start of 20.3 and a 21.6 average finish. Gresham also started the season early at Daytona with a JDM entry in the ARCA race (finished sixth).Best NCWTS start: 9 - Kentucky 09/21/2012Best NCWTS finish: 11 - Martinsville 10/27/2012Last NCWTS Win: None so far2013: Gresham has signed to drive the full season in Eddie Sharp Racing’s No. 8 Chevrolet Silverado.